Tips for Great Outfit Photos

Emma and I have been doing outfit photos for A Beautiful Mess for almost two years. We’ve had a lot of fun documenting our silly outfits and collaborating with companies that we admire! We’ve learned a lot along the way!

I’ve recieved some e-mails recently asking about our methods for getting photos and finding backdrops. I hope this post is helpful to some aspiring fashion bloggers out there! More than anything, we believe that outfit photos should be fun!

1. Use Real Life Props

Props give outfit photos more personality! We try to use them as often as possible, but we want them to seem natural and not awkward. One hint is to use real life props (like my bicycle) or seasonal props that help tell the story of the day (like this gigantic autumn leaf). When you choose props, find items that you feel natural with and that fit your personality and aesthetic!

2. Scout Out Backdrops You Love

Long before our adventures in outfit photos Emma and I owned a small photography business together. We quickly built up a list of 20 cute walls around town for photo shoots. It’s good to have a lot of options so you can avoid direct sunlight and find colors that compliment your clothing!

Something fun to try…. Sometime when we shoot eachother’s outfits or photos for Sister Style we find spots with two different colored walls so that we can both get in our photos and we only have to park the car once! It’s no fun driving around for 10 minutes just to find a cute wall.

3. Use A Real Life Setting As Your Backdrop

Do you work somewhere cool? Have a cute home? Love your favorite local spots? Take outfit photos in a natural place that you love. I sometimes take my photos in my local boutique. Why not take an outfit photo at a lunch date destination or on a picnic? It’s fun and your readers will enjoy the peek into your world!

4. Style A Piece Two Ways

I LOVE it when outfit posts teach something! For example we’ve often shown two or three ways to style a piece or taught an easy DIY along with our daily outfit. It’s just fun to add a little something extra for your readers to enjoy!

5. Smile!

It’s kinda a “thing” that fashion bloggers rarely smile in their photos. We don’t know how that started but we’ve grown to love smiling outfit photos! Don’t be afraid to show your personality or your silly side when taking outfit photos. It’s fun!

6. Find Your Signature Look

My go-to look is pops of black and white. If you scan through my outfit index you’ll see me wearing this combo over and over. I buy a lot of black and white patterns and I love the way they mix and match.

Emma’s signautre look is easy layers. She wears denim and chambray in layers pretty much every other day. You won’t see her wearing a lot of outfits that aren’t layered. That’s her signature look!

7. Step Outside Your Box

My “box” is cute vintage dresses, tights, cardigans and heels. That’s what I ususally wear whether for an outfit photo or a night out with my husband. Sometimes it’s fun to stretch myself and try something totally outside of my comfort zone. For the outfit above, I challenged myself to wear one of Jeremy’s shirts in an outfit. The result was fun and unexpected. Want to try something totally outside your comfort zone?

8. Find Your Angles.

Take a day to try a bunch of different angles and see what you like. A photo taken from above will make you appear “smaller”. A photo taken from below can make you appear taller (one of our tricks since we are both 5’4″). Do you like your profile? Try shots from the side, shots from straight on. Learn how different camera angles can affect your look in photos.

9. Find Ways to Multi-Task Your Outfit Photos

On our honeymoon Jeremy agreed to take a few couple outfit photos with me each season. He likes shopping and cares about his style so it was something that came easy. I knew that by doing this we’d have a lot of “portrait” type photos from our first year of marriage together. Even though these photos were taken for the blog they have another meaning and will be something that we save for our children and grandchildren to laugh at. I love that!

10. Try A Different Pose

When you’ve been doing outfit photos for a little while it’s easy to fall into a groove. You find a few poses you like and do them over and over and over. It’s always good to challenge yourself to try some totally new poses and angles. Tear some pages out of your favorite fashion magazine and try a few poses you’ve never tried before!

195 Comments

Wow, those were some excellent tips, thank you! I whole-heartedly agree that more fashion bloggers should smile in their photos! Some of my favorite product shots in my shop are the random outtakes where I’m just starting to crack up–who wants to look at a scowl, anyway? 😉

I love how open you are about sharing tips and advice. It keeps other bloggers inspired and have something to work towards with less tears in the process lol. These are all amazing photos. Thanks for sharing!

This such a helpful post! I love how you’ve given fun examples 🙂
I’m far too shy to do outfit posts, I worry what people will think! but it doesn’t stop me dreaming of being a cool sometimes fashion blogger 🙂 xo

i was wondering if you could do a post on dressing for different body types? i’m a petit girl (5′ tall) with very very small hips and a medium sized bust (34 B and sometimes C). what are some good tips to make me look less top heavy and more curvy? you guys always have the best tips!

Such a huge help, I’m always looking for advice on outfit posting. I live on a college campus, so finding places to photograph can sometimes be difficult. But I have loads of ideas for spring on campus! Thanks for the advice!

I love these tips because I think it can be very difficult to break out of that ‘I feel silly taking pictures of myself’ viewpoint. But like you said, it can be such a fun experience, if you make it fun!

I am really enjoying these photo posts. I purchased a fancy camera thinking that it alone would me ice photos. Boy was i wrong. These are by far one of my favorite parts of your blog, and be happy in the fact that it is making my photos better for sure.

Thanks for this great advice. I have yet to do an outfit post, and said (a few blog posts ago) that I was going to post more pictures of myself and be less shy about having my picture taken. Outfit posts are the best way to do this. I’m also trying to ‘find my style’, and will be documenting this on my blog – so this post was most useful to me!

Amie, some heels are more comfy than others. I’ll wear my hasbeens or lotta’s all day but not Jeffrey Campbell. Those have a three hour limit, good for a date night! I just can’t help it, I love huge shoes!!
Xxoo

Such good tips! I don’t necessarily have much time for outfit photos, I take most of them myself and I don’t own a tripod so I don’t have much scope for experimentation but this is so good, I will have to try some!

Thank you so much for all of the fantastic tips. I have just begun taking outfit photos with a tripod and I always seem to come off awkward and forced. I love your tips for creative backgrounds and angles.

Thanks for the lovely tips! I do believe my eyes were glued to your shoes! But it’s so hard finding nice shoes in my size.
Question. What would you do if you don’t have a photographer to to take the photos. That’s my stumbling block. 🙁

This is such a wonderful post with brilliant tips! Thank you! The last tip is so true, I sort of feel I’ve found a few poses and then just stick with them, but I want to stop that and start having more fun with outfit photos!http://www.styleisalwaysfashionable.blogspot.com

Great post !
I usually find it that the biggest bottle neck in my daily posting is the outfit posts – I usually have to run out of the house in my UGG boots (driving shoes) and then only be polished at work (where I can’t really ask anyone to take a pic of me). So I sulk and wait for the week end !
I will try some of the tips though and see how it goes 🙂
bisous bisous

Thanks for the advice! I shall have to direct my boyfriend and my daughter to the right direction, and me too! Totally love your styles!! I’m always inspired and have took a leap of updating my wardrobe slowly 🙂

THANK you so much for this post!! I am still a bit new at this and I love getting tips from blogs that I enjoy. This is a wonderful reference..I want to try to add more variety to my photos and challenge my wardrobe more.

I want to have photos of myself. But I don’t have anyone to take them, my husband would laugh, my teenager would just die, and I don’t trust the babies yet. Do you ever do “selfies” and do you have advice on how to take a good one?

Thank you so much! Again this is so useful! I will definitely apply some of these tricks. It’s not so easy to go on locations though since my fiancé isn’t always available to come with me, and setting up a tripod in public to pose for yourself.. it is a little awkward 😉

I do smile in my photos and I still get complaints that I need to smile more 🙁 Frustration nation. Great tips though, especially the first one! I need to use props more often. I’ve had some readers ask me how I find such cool backdrops, and my answer is that I drive around. I have no idea how else locations can be scouted!

What excellent pointers! I love blogging but the one thing I can never manage to do well is the outfit post! I always look akward. Hopefully with a few of this pointers I can take more natural photoes now.

I SO wish my man was ok with being in my outfit posts, I think it would help me to relax lol

Another wonderful tutorial! Elsie, I so appreciate that you not only take the time to share little glimpses of your life with us, but that you also take the time to post tutorials like this! As a fairly new blogger, I can tell you that it’s much appreciated! 🙂

Absolutely FAB Post Elsie!
I loved every single word. You have a wonderful way of writing that fully showcases your sweet and cheerful personality! When I read, i feel like i’m chatting to a dear friend 🙂 I love your posts Elsie!!!!

This is exactly what I needed! I’ve been in such a rut with taking outfit photos, since I live in a dorm on a busy street and simply don’t have the time, energy, or courage to pack up my camera and tripod and head off somewhere. But I’ll try to incorporate all of these…with my bare dorm room wall… :]]] Great post!

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It is called awesome photos, all of the photos!!!!
i really adore you. I love the layout of your blog.
Its so different and creative. And all the color mix very well.
However, the most i like is the first photo, the orange mustard with the stripes dress. So pretty!! the bike also very nice.

Thanks so much for this. I’ve been wanting to do some outfit posts for my blog but I’m a behind the camera type of girl and it’s hard for me to get in front of it. I am definitely going to try out these tips though.

this is so helpful! I just started my own blog today. It’s about fashion (mine and people I see around school) so this will defiantly help me make the most of my posts! Thank you for being such an inspiration.

These are some great tips. I always avoid trying to take outfit photos because I have no idea how to make them look more interesting so hopefully this will inspire me! Now I just need to get over the fear of taking outfit pics in public – thanks for the help!

A Creative Day sent me over and so glad she did! I just put up my first outfit post today. It was definitely embarrassing taking the photos! But I did notice I liked the smiling ones much better. I’m not trying to pretend my picture isn’t being taken, and I’m certainly no supermodel. ;0)

Hi there, I just found your blog via a link on thriftcore’s wibeste. It’s good to see a gentlemen sporting vintage, especially one that can rock a good cuff link! I also like how you compare what you paid for items versus the retail’ price. Am looking forward to your future posts.

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i just stumbled upon your site and will be bormoakking it. great pics of food and of your progress! you go girl you deserve a ton of credit, for living your beliefs and for making such a positive change in your life (and hubby’s).

How funny! Kelzey is such a doll! I wish I could tell my boys to get dressed for shocol themselves. Having to be up at 6:30, I literally have to drag them out of bed and dress them or they would NEVER get up and be ready. They are still zombies as we walk out the door at 7:00 to catch the bus. (Let me just tell you how much I hate having shocol start so early.)

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who knew that walls are the answer! i find myself using distracting backgrounds often simply because it’s a beautiful environment. adorable couple outfits and i truthfully learned a lot here! it’s wonderful 🙂